- published: 31 Mar 2014
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The biodiversity of New Zealand, a large island nation located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, is one of the most varied and unique on earth due to its long isolation from other continental landmasses. Its affinities are derived from Gondwana, from which it separated 82 million years (Ma) ago, New Caledonia and Lord Howe Island, both of which are part of the same continental plate as New Zealand, and Australia. More recently a component has been introduced by humans. New Zealand's pre-human biodiversity exhibited high levels of endemism, both in its flora and fauna. Prior to 65 Ma ago, the fauna included dinosaurs, pterosaurs and marine reptiles such as mosasaurs, elasmosaurs and plesiosaurs. The range of ancient fauna is not well known, but at least one species of non-flying terrestrial mammal existed in New Zealand around 19 Ma ago. For at least several Ma before the arrival of the human and its commensal species, the islands had no terrestrial mammals except for bats and seals, the main component of the terrestrial fauna being insects and birds. Its flora is dominated by Gondwanan plants, comprising historically of forests, most famously the giant kauri (Agathis australis). New Zealand has developed a national Biodiversity Action Plan to address conservation of considerable numbers of threatened flora and fauna within New Zealand.
New Zealand (Māori: Aotearoa) is an island country located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The country geographically comprises two main landmasses ‒ that of the North and South Islands ‒ as well as numerous smaller islands. New Zealand is situated some 1,500 kilometres (900 mi) east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and roughly 1,000 kilometres (600 mi) south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga. Because of its remoteness, it was one of the last lands to be settled by humans.
During its long isolation, New Zealand developed a distinctive biodiversity of both animal and plant life. Most notable are the large number of unique bird species, many of which became extinct after the arrival of humans and introduced mammals. With a mild maritime climate, the land was mostly covered in forest. The country's varied topography and its sharp mountain peaks owe much to the tectonic uplift of land and volcanic eruptions caused by the Pacific and Indo-Australian Plates clashing beneath the earth's surface.
When they say
We were never old enough to care
It's like first of November
And when they say
We were never good enough to love
They've been washed in the holy waters
So I wanna die
With my eyes full life
All the years I survived I knew nothing about
Nothing about
So I wanna die
With my head full life
All the years I survived I knew nothing about
Nothing about so much
Hope we got far
'Cause here it's the same as for a bear
To be stuck inside a bird cage
And if we swim
To see New Zealand with our friends
Oh would you please bury me there
And sing
Together for the new start
I'm sailing
Through the mighty coast lines
As a ghost on a holiday
So I wanna die
With my eyes full life
All the years I survived I knew nothing about
Nothing about
So I wanna die
With my head full life
All the years I survived I knew nothing about